They are not a particular 'type' of woman, they are everywoman - Contraception fails, and sometimes we fail to use it properly.

Amid incessant talk of infertility, many women - both young and middle-aged - underestimate how easy it is to get pregnant. Bpas sees women with unplanned pregnancies not long after giving birth, having been told that breastfeeding provides effective contraceptive protection.

We also see women whose lives have been turned upside down when a problem is found with a much wanted pregnancy, or when personal circumstances change so much that a planned pregnancy can no longer be carried to term.

Anthony Ozimic, communications manager of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, was quoted by the Daily Telegraph as saying: "Bpas knows very well that there is no realistic prospect of new abortion limits getting past parliament's large pro-abortion majority.

"Instead of pursuing the red herring of time-limits, ministers should instead cut off the tens of millions of pounds the government hands to Bpas in NHS contracts."

"There are many reasons why a woman may find herself with an unintended pregnancy, from contraceptive failure to misconceptions about her own fertility, and many sad cases where a much wanted pregnancy can no longer be carried to term.

"Women need to be able to make these decisions without banners being waved in their faces, or being made to feel that they are thoughtless, immoral or selfish.

"Politicians should understand that women themselves are the ones who are best placed to make the choice that is right for them and their families. Mothers, daughters, sisters and friends - the women in all our lives deserve nothing less."